The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1887-12-14
LEGISLATIVE PROCEEDINGS.
WHAT THE LAwMAKER FAVE DONE
FOR THE STATE.

FOR THE STATE.
several important Measures Receive Finnl
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of the Proceed.
tnss Thereon.
COLUMBIA, December 10.-The work
OF the Legislature has progressed rapid.
~ aud satisfactorily for the past week.
Inc more important measures acted on
will now be noticed.
IL CRIMINAL LAW.
Inc bill to regulate the criminal prac-
uce In this State has passed the House
ana Senate both and is now before the
senate Judiciary committee, who are
considering the House amendments.
n following is the text of the bill rs it
left the House:
section l. That every indictment shall
DC oee'ned and adjudged sufficient and
good in law, which, in addition TO set
ting forth the time and place, as now
provided by law, charges the crime sub
stantially in the language of the com
mon law or of the statute prohibiting the
same, or SO plainly that the nature of
stood.
Section 2. That every objection to any
indictment for any defect apparent on
tue face thereof shall be taken by de-
murrer, or on motion to quash such in
dlctment before the jury shall be sworn,
and not afterwards.
Section B. That if there be any defect
In form in any indictment it shall be
competent for the Court before which
the case Is tried to amend the said in
dlctment: Provided, such amendment
does not change the nature of the offence
charged; that If on the trial of any case
there shall appear to be any variance be-
tween the allegations of the Indictment
and the evidence Offered in proof
thereof, it shall be competent for the
Court before which the trial shall be had
TO amend the said Indictment according
to the proof: Provided, such amendment
does not change the nature Of the offence
charged; and after such amendment the
trial shall proceed in all respects and
with the same consequence as if no vari-
enco had occurred, unless such amend
mont shall operate as a surprise to the
defendant, in which case the defendant
shall DO entitled upon demand to q con-
tinuance of the cause.
Section 4. That in any plea of autre
fois acquit or autre fois convict it shall
be sufficient for any defendant to state
tina. he has been lawfully acquitted or
con icted, as the case may be, or the
offence charged in the Indictment.
Section b. That every indictment for
murder shall be deemed and adjudged
sufficient and good in law, which in adj
dition to setting forth the time and
place, together with II plain statement,
Invested OF all useless phraseology, Of
thu nnonnnri II, uphioh {ln looll N
deceased was caused, charges that the
defendant did fe~loniously, wilfully and
Of his malice aforethought kill and muir
der the deceased.
Section 6. That in all cases whatso-
ever in which it shall be necessary to
make any averment in auy Indictment as
to any instruments, whether the Same
consists wholly or in part of writing,
print or figures, shall be sufficient to de-
ribe such instrument by any name or
.ignation by which tho same may be
sually known or by tue purport thereof,
md in such manner as to sufficiently
IDENTIFY such instrument without set
ting out any copy or fac smile Of the
whole or any part thereof.
Section 7. That in any indictment for
perjury 1T shall not DO necessary to set
forth more than the substance of the
oath and the fact concerning which the
perjury is alleged to have beel COM
mitted.
Hection 8. That any person or persons
who shall be arraigned for the crime of
murder, manslaughter, burglary, arson,
rape or grand larceny shall be entitled
to peremptory challenges not exceeding
ten; and the State in such cases shall be
entitled to peremptDry challenges not
exceeding five; and any person or per-
sons who shall be indicted for any crime
or offence, other than those enumerated
above, shall have the right to perempto.
ry challenges not exceeding five, and the
State in such cases shall be entitled to
peremptory challenges not exceeding
two. But no right to stand aside Jurors
shall be allowed to the State in any case
whatsoever: Provided, that in no case
where there shall be more than one de.
PENDANT jointly tried, shall more than
twenty peremptory challenges be allow.
ed in all to the defendants.
Section 8. Nothing in this Act con,
tanned shall apply to any case where al
indictment has already been found ant
the case is actually pending.
Section 10. That all Acts and parts O
Acts inconsistent with this Act r ehereby
repealed.
The bill to provide for the paymen
by the State OF the expenses of all pros
ecutions in criminal cases, caused con
considerable Discussion, participated il
by several members, Colonel Haskell
leading tho fight against the bill and Mr.
Rankin defending 1T. Finally it wps in
definitely postponed by q vote Of g.
TO 40.
The next bill taken up was tho on
amending the General Statutes in rela
ton to liens on buildings and lands
Several speeches we're made on the bill
aud the debate was long and interesting
After every feature bad been fully an,
freely discussed it was indefinitely post
poned.
Numerous bills have passed their thir,
readings, among %which--the bill to pun
ish cock-fghting within three miles O
any chartered institution in this State.
~coNoBAIaD wEAfoNs.
There was some discussion on the bi